[VHFcontesting] Bonus supplement to VHF Conference Friday seminar

[Rick R]

On the Afternoon of Friday October 6, 2017 at the Pack Rats Mid-Atlantic States VHF Conference there will be a seminar on Station Automation, available to those who have registered by that time for the Conference. You must register for the conference by September 1 (register at the Packrat website   packratvhf.com) and check the box regarding Friday activity attendance to assure you will get this BONUS supplement. Those who have already registered can send your Friday seminar rsvp (as many of you have already) to:  w3sz73 at gmail.com
<mailto:w3sz73 at gmail.com>

The seminar is intended to be an in depth introduction to modern software and computer-based methods of station automation.  It will include detailed discussions and examples of the use of MCUs (microcontroller units) and SBCs (single board computers) such as the Arduino, Beaglebone Black, Parallax Propeller, and Parallax Basic Stamp for station control.  The Beaglebone Black is similar to the Raspberry Pi, but more powerful.  Examples of the code used to program the Beaglebone Black, the Arduino, the Parallax Propeller, and the Parallax
Basic Stamp for various station control purposes will be presented and discussed.  By the end of the seminar it is anticipated that attendees will be ready to begin using these devices for station control activities in their amateur stations.
Only those who have registered for the Conference by Friday September 1 are guaranteed to receive a handout at the seminar.  Having a handout
will be important to getting the full value of the conference.  Handouts will be distributed at the beginning of the seminar to those who have
indicated by September 1st that they plan to attend the seminar.

In addition, Roger W3SZ will forward to those expressing their intention to attend the seminar electronic copies of the handouts as well as other
materials a week or more in advance of the session, so the attendees have a chance to examine these materials before the seminar if they so
desire.  These pre-conference materials will be available only to those who have already registered for the Conference.

Thus, if you plan to attend the Friday Station Automation seminar, and have registered for the Conference, please email Roger at
w3sz73 at gmail.com<http://gmail.com/> and he will forward the advance materials to you at least a week before the conference, and make sure that a paper copy of the
handout is reserved for you as well, to be given to you at the beginning of the seminar.

A brief outline of the seminar, subject to modification right up to the start time of the seminar, is below:

--------------------
Reasons for and goals of station automation

Bandswitching
    BCD/LPT devices
    USB-Serial devices
    I2C devices
    Radio-based – Elecraft K3
Introduction to MCUs and SBCs  (can use LPT, COM/CAT, USB, I2C, Ethernet)
Continuation of Bandswitching Discussion
    Ethernet devices
        Beaglebone Black example with N1MM
    USB-Serial device example using Arduino and VHFLog or RoverLog
CAT Control
    N1MM
    WSJTX
    Other Software
Device Switching (Microphone, Receive Audio, PTT, CW keying)
    Parallax Propeller Example
Device Control
    Ethernet Device Control
        Arduino example
    Antenna Azimuth and Elevation Control
        K3NG Rotator Controller Project
    Programmable attenuators for IF Rx and Tx
        Parallax Basic Stamp example
Device Monitoring
    RF output power monitoring
The Future

Again, please let W3SZ know as soon as possible and in any event by
September 1, at the email address above, it you plan to attend the
seminar, so that there will be a handout available for you at the start
of the seminar, and so that you wil receive pre-seminar learning
materials at least a week before the seminar.

Thanks and I hope to see you there!  73, Roger Rehr W3SZ